Xiaomi isn’t approaching the car simply as a way to get from A to B.

The company is effectively building a huge connected device on wheels.

That philosophy is particularly obvious when you look at the audio systems available in Xiaomi cars such as the SU7 and YU7.

Depending on the model and specification, Xiaomi cars can offer up to 25 speakers, more than 1,000 watts of amplification, Dolby Atmos, headrest speakers and active noise cancellation.

So how good is music inside a Xiaomi car?

Xiaomi has taken car audio seriously

The original Xiaomi SU7 attracted attention for offering a premium 25-speaker audio configuration.

The system uses a 7.1.4-channel layout designed to deliver immersive sound throughout the cabin and supports Dolby Atmos.

Xiaomi documentation for earlier SU7 models described the premium system as having a 1,260W amplifier, compared with a 200W system in the original entry-level 10-speaker configuration.

Speaker configurations have since evolved as Xiaomi has updated its range, so buyers should check the specification of the exact model year they are considering.

Recent SU7 models can offer audio configurations ranging up to 25 speakers, while Xiaomi has followed a similar strategy with its YU7 SUV.

Xiaomi YU7 offers up to 25 speakers

The Xiaomi YU7 takes Xiaomi’s focus on in-car entertainment even further.

The YU7 was introduced with a 14-speaker standard system on certain versions and a more advanced 25-speaker system available on higher specifications or as an option.

The 25-speaker version uses a 7.1.4-channel architecture and supports Dolby Atmos.

Xiaomi says the system also uses dedicated height speakers to create a more three-dimensional soundstage.

Instead of music appearing to come only from doors or the dashboard, an immersive mix can place sounds around and above the passengers.

That is particularly important for Dolby Atmos Music.

What does 7.1.4 audio mean?

A 7.1.4 system uses multiple groups of speakers positioned around the cabin.

The “7” represents surround channels around the listener, the “1” represents the low-frequency bass channel, and the “4” refers to height channels.

Those height speakers are one of the main differences between conventional surround sound and Dolby Atmos.

They allow compatible music to have a greater sense of vertical space.

Vocals might appear firmly positioned in front of you while backing vocals, reverbs, synths or orchestral elements can occupy different positions around the cabin.

It doesn’t necessarily make every recording sound better, but a good Dolby Atmos mix can sound dramatically different from conventional stereo.

Xiaomi supports Dolby Atmos Music

Dolby has officially partnered with Xiaomi around its automotive audio technology.

On the SU7, Dolby confirmed support for Dolby Atmos Music through compatible services, alongside Dolby Atmos video entertainment.

The YU7’s premium audio system has expanded this further, with Xiaomi identifying services such as NetEase Cloud Music and QQ Music as sources of compatible Dolby Atmos material.

Apple Music Dolby Atmos content can also be used through CarPlay with the appropriate YU7 audio system.

That makes the car another potentially important listening environment for spatial audio.

Headrest speakers offer another clever idea

One of the more unusual features found in Xiaomi cars is the use of speakers around the driver’s headrest.

These aren’t simply there to make music louder.

Headrest audio can separate information intended for the driver from the main cabin audio.

Navigation instructions, phone calls and driver-assistance alerts can potentially be delivered closer to the driver without interrupting music for everyone else in the vehicle.

Xiaomi says all YU7 versions include two driver’s headrest speakers used for functions including navigation, calls and assisted-driving alerts.

It is a small feature, but one that shows how software and audio hardware are starting to merge inside modern cars.

Active noise cancellation can improve music too

Higher-specification Xiaomi audio systems can also include active noise cancellation.

The technology works on a similar principle to noise-cancelling headphones.

Microphones detect unwanted low-frequency sound inside the vehicle and the audio system generates sound waves designed to reduce some of that noise.

Electric vehicles are already quieter than combustion-engine cars at low speeds because there is no conventional engine running.

Reducing additional road and cabin noise can make subtle details in music easier to hear without simply turning up the volume.

For premium car audio, controlling unwanted noise can be almost as important as adding more speakers.

Is 25 speakers actually better than 14?

Speaker count alone doesn’t determine whether an audio system sounds good.

Speaker positioning, amplification, cabin acoustics, digital signal processing and the quality of the music source are all important.

However, Xiaomi’s 25-speaker system isn’t simply adding another collection of identical speakers.

The additional hardware enables the 7.1.4 layout required to produce the full immersive experience and introduces features that are unavailable on lower-end configurations.

For listeners who mostly play podcasts, radio or compressed Bluetooth music, the difference may be less important.

For people regularly listening to lossless music or Dolby Atmos mixes, the premium system is much more interesting.

Cars could become one of the best places to hear Dolby Atmos Music

Headphones currently account for a huge amount of personal music listening, but cars have an important advantage when it comes to immersive sound.

The speakers don’t move.

Neither do the seats.

That means the manufacturer knows where listeners will be positioned and can tune the audio system around those locations.

Unlike a living room, where speakers might be placed anywhere, the entire acoustic environment of a car can be designed at the factory.

Xiaomi’s move towards 25-speaker systems and Dolby Atmos shows how seriously car manufacturers are starting to treat this opportunity.

Xiaomi is turning the car into part of its entertainment ecosystem

Perhaps the most interesting thing about Xiaomi’s car audio strategy isn’t the number of speakers.

It is the ecosystem around them.

Xiaomi already makes smartphones, tablets, televisions, earbuds and smart speakers.

Now it makes cars.

Its HyperOS platform creates the possibility of moving music between those devices with increasingly little friction.

Start listening at home, continue through your phone and then move into the car.

For the music industry, that creates another major connected listening surface.

And for music fans buying increasingly sophisticated electric vehicles, sound quality could become a much bigger part of choosing which car to buy.

The battle between car manufacturers may therefore increasingly become a battle between entertainment ecosystems as well as batteries, motors and driving range.

Xiaomi looks determined to compete on both.